Fastest Growing Careers: IT Careers and Health Care Jobs

The information technology and health care industries are clamoring for more skilled workers. How can you become one of them?

Everyone dreams of a career with a handsome salary, one promising boundless growth and loads of opportunities. But these careers belong to a privileged few, and they demand years of nonstop study and training. Right?

Not necessarily.

The fastest growing careers, such as IT jobs and health care jobs, offer good pay and are crying out for more skilled workers with technical know-how and soft skills. They’re not just open to recent college graduates. They’re accessible to career-changers, too, and getting started doesn’t always require a four-year degree, experts say — but you must be dedicated, willing to devote time and energy so your foray becomes a success. The fastest growing careers don’t always mean easy careers.

2011 RN Salary Projections

In 2010 RNs can expect to see their salaries, and other benefits, grow. More employers are offering sweet incentives such as sign-on bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and more flexible hours in order to entice nurses to work in their facilities.

Prior to getting started, research your options and find out what the fastest growing careers entail.

“Before you make a choice of what job you want to do, it’s important for adults to job-shadow or find out as much as possible about the job,” notes Dr. James Jacobs, president of Macomb Community College in Michigan. Basing your decision on information from TV or friends isn’t sufficient, he says.

Health-Care Jobs: Nursing

Nursing is one of the fastest growing careers. According to the Health Resources and Services Administration, by 2010 the United States will be short almost 406,000 nursing jobs. By 2020, the shortage is projected to swell to more than 1 million. Fahmeen Faruki, a nursing counselor at Northern Virginia Community College’s medical campus, says a common point of entry into nursing is taking a certified nursing assistant job.

"You can take classes at a vocational or community college. The second tier is to take an LPN job [licensed practical nurse]. These classes are also offered at vocational or community colleges," Faruki explains. “One great thing about nursing as a career is that it has a built in procedure to advance in small manageable steps. From CNA to LPN to RN [registered nurse] and beyond. You can get started in nursing in as little as 75 hours of training to become a CNA. With another 35 hours you can work in home health. It provides an excellent opportunity to explore nursing as a career.”